Needle-threader for sewing-machines



(No Model.)

E. 5 JENKINS. NEEDLE THREADBR FOR SEWING MAGHINES.

No. 479,426. Patented July 26, 1892.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EBENEZER CURTIS JENKINS, OF SHREVVSBURY, MASSACHUSETTS.

NEEDLE-T HREADER FOR SEWING-MACHINES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 479,426, dated July 26, 1892.

Application filed April 20, 1891.

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, EBENEZER CURTIS JEN- KINS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Shrewsbury, in the county of Worcester and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Needle- Threaders for Sewing-Machines, of which the following is a specification.

The aim of this invention is to produce a device by which a sewing-machine needle may be easily threaded and also a device that will at the same time form a gage to set the needle.

To this end the invention consists of the device described and claimed in this specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a front elevation of a sewingmachine head with my device applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a side elevation,partly in section. Fig. 3 is a View similar to Fig. 1, illustrating a slight modification; and Fig. 4 is a bottom View of the needle-guide.

In detail, A represents the head of a sewing-machine of any approved form, having the usual reciprocating needle-bar B, the needle-holding device 0, the needle D, the presser-bar E, and the presser-foot F of any approved pattern. If desired, the presser-bar may be raised and lowered by a swiveled cam G.

The head A is channeled or cut away at I, and over this channel fits the cover H, held in place by the screw J and pins K K. Adapted to slide up and down in this channel is the bar L, and the same has a knob M projecting through the slot N in the cover H. The lower end of this bar is enlarged to form a bearing 0, and the same is preferably split, so as to form at all times a tight bearing, as shown in Fig. 4:. Fitting in the bearing thus formed is a short shaft, and the same has on one end the toothed sector P and the milled head Z and on the other the needle threadguide Q. The said shaft also has a pin R, which works in a slot S, formed in the bearing 0, and the same acts to limit the movement of the shaft. The thread-guide Q has a tapered hole Q bored through the same to guide the thread into the eye of the needle, and also has the groove Q out in the back side of the same, so that the same will fit the needle.

Serial No. 389,597. (No model.)

The sector P is adapted to engage a short rack T, fastened in the bottom of the head A. The top end of the bar L bears against the inside of the cover H, which is cut away on a curve U, as shown,and to the bar L is fastened the spring V, which bears against the back of the channel and holds the bar L in its raised or lowered position, and will also hold the guide Q against the needle. The bar L also has a pin X, which bears against a screw V, tapped in the bottom of the head A.

The operation of the device is as follows: The bar L is pushed down by knob M to the position shown in the drawings. The downward movement of the bar is regulated by the .pin X striking screw V, so that if the eye of the needle D is set in line with the hole Q, then the needle will be set in proper position, and thus it will be seen that as soon as the screw V is once adjusted the guide Q forms at all times a gage by which the needle may be set. Now with the guide Q in this position in front of the needle the thread is inserted the hole Q in the guide, and thus through the eye of the needle. This hole Q is tapered or conical, so that this can be easily done. The bar L is now raised to its highest position by means of knob M. The top edge of the bar L will follow the curve U of the cover II, and as the guide Q is carried up the same will swing clear of the bar B, and when the bar is carried to its highest position the same will be caught and held by the spring V, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 2. Further, it will be seen that the curve U does not extend to the top of the cover H, but that the bar L must move during the last portion of its travel in a straight line, as the top of the same then rests against the portion U of the inside of the cover, which is straight. The thread still remains in the guide Q when the same is raised to the highest position, and to prevent the same from binding the guide is turned around ninety degrees, so that the hole Q simply forms an eye for directing the thread to the needle. This is automatically done by the sector P engaging the rack T as the bar L finishes its upward movement and when the same is moving in a straight line, as before described. By this means the guide is swung around ninety degrees, as will be readily understood, or to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2, thus leaving a vertical straight hole, through which the thread is easily pulled by the needle. On the downward movement of the bar L the guide is turned ninety degrees and then carried down to the proper position before the needle. The sector P and rack T may be omitted and the guide turned by the fingers by means of the milled head Z, (see Fig. 3,) if so desired, and also with this construction the bar L can be raised and lowered by means of this milled head Z. so that the guide may be brought in and out of position by one manipulation. The milled head Z also formsa means for adjusting,turning, and moving the guide. Thus asimple, efficient, and compact needle-threading and gaging device is provided.

The details of construction herein shown may be greatly varied by a skilled mechanic Without departing from the scope of my invention.

Having thus fully described my invention, What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The sewing-machine-needle-threading device consisting of the bar sliding on the machine-head, the thread'guide journaled in the lower end thereof, having the toothed sector, and the rack with which said sector is adapted to cooperate, substantially as described.

2. The sewing-machine-needlethreading device consisting of the bar L, sliding on the head, the thread-guide journaled in the lower end thereof, the slot S, cut in the bar L, and the pin R for limiting the rotation of the thread-guide, and means for rotating the thread-guide, substantially as described.

3. The seWing-machine-needle-threading 4o device consisting of the sliding bar L, the thread-guide Q,journaled in the lower end thereof and having the toothed sector P, the rack T, with which said sector may engage to turn said guide, and a guide with which the sliding bar co-operates, and means whereby the thread-guide will be moved in a straight line while the sector is in engagement with said rack and then on a curved line to and from the needle, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

EBENEZER CURTIS JENKINS.

Witnesses:

LOUIS W. SOUTHGATE, JOHN H. STONEMETZ. 

